• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.223-231
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• 2021

In order to address many issues associated with large volume changes of silicon, which has very low electrical conductivity but offers about 10 times higher theoretical capacity than graphite (Gr), a silicon nanoparticles/hollow carbon (SiNP/HC) composite having bimodal-mesopores was prepared using silica nanoparticles as a template. A control SiNP/C composite without a hollow structure was also prepared for comparison. The physico-chemical and electrochemical properties of SiNP/HC were analyzed by X-ray diffractometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements for surface area and pore size distribution, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, galvanostatic cycling, and cyclic voltammetry tests to compare them with those of the SiNP/C composite. The SiNP/HC composite showed significantly better cycle life and efficiency than the SiNP/C, with minimal increase in electrode thickness after long cycles. A hybrid composite, SiNP/HC@Gr, prepared by physical mixing of the SiNP/HC and Gr at a 50:50 weight ratio, exhibited even better cycle life and efficiency than the SiNP/HC at low capacity. Thus, silicon/carbon composites designed to have hollow spaces capable of accommodating volume expansion were found to be highly effective for long cycle life of silicon-based composites. However, further study is required to improve the low initial coulombic efficiency of SiNP/HC and SiNP/HC@Gr, which is possibly because of their high surface area causing excessive electrolyte decomposition for the formation of solid-electrolyte-interface layers.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.543-548
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• 2015

Si/C/CNF composites as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries were examined to improve the capacity and cycle performance. Si/C/CNF composites were prepared by the fabrication process including the synthesis and magnesiothermic reduction of SBA-15 to obtain Si/MgO by ball milling and the carbonization of phenol resin with CNF and HCl etching. Prepared Si/C/CNF composites were then analysed by BET, XRD, FE-SEM and TGA. Among SBA-15 samples synthesized at reaction temperatures between 50 and $70^{\circ}C$, the SBA-15 at $60^{\circ}C$ showed the largest specific surface area. Also the electrochemical performances of Si/C/CNF composites as an anode electrode were investigated by constant current charge/discharge test, cyclic voltammetry and impedance tests in the electrolyte of LiPF6 dissolved in mixed organic solvents (EC : DMC : EMC = 1 : 1 : 1 vol%). The coin cell using Si/C/CNF composites (Si : CNF = 97 : 3 in weight) showed better capacity (1,947 mAh/g) than that of other composition coin cells. The capacity retention ratio decreased from 84% (Si : CNF = 97 : 3 in weight) to 77% (Si : CNF = 89 : 11 in weight). It was found that the Si/C/CNF composite electrode shows an improved cycling performance and electric conductivity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.17-18
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• 2011

Plasma in liquid phase has attracted great attention in the last few years by the wide domain of applications in material processing, decomposition of organic and inorganic chemical compounds and sterilization of water. The plasma in liquid is characterized by three main regions which interact each - other during the plasma operation: the liquid phase, which supply the plasma gas phase with various chemical compounds and ions, the plasma in the gas phase at atmospheric pressure and the interface between these two regions. The most complex region, but extremely interesting from the fundamental, chemical and physical processes which occur here, is the boundary between the liquid phase and the plasma gas phase. In our laboratory, plasma in liquid which behaves as a glow discharge type, is generated by using a bipolar pulsed power supply, with variable pulse width, in the range of 0.5~10 ${\mu}s$ and 10 to 30 kHz repetition rate. Plasma in water and other different solutions was characterized by electrical and optical measurements. Strong emissions of OH and H radicals dominate the optical spectra. Generally water with 500 ${\mu}S/cm$ conductivity has a breakdown voltage around 2 kV, depending on the pulse width and the repetition rate of the power supply. The characteristics of the plasma initiated in ultrapure water between pairs of different materials used for electrodes (W and Ta) were investigated by the time-resolved optical emission and the broad-band absorption spectroscopy. The deexcitation processes of the reactive species formed in the water plasma depend on the electrode material, but have been independent on the polarity of the applied voltage pulses. Recently, Coherent anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy method was employed to investigate the chemistry in the liquid phase and at the interface between the gas and the liquid phases of the solution plasma system. The use of the solution plasma allows rapid fabrication of the metal nanoparticles without being necessary the addition of different reducing agents, because plasma in the liquid phase provides a reaction field with a highly excited energy radicals. We successfully synthesized gold nanoparticles using a glow discharge in aqueous solution. Nanoparticles with an average size of less than 10 nm were obtained using chlorauric acid solutions as the metal source. Carbon/Pt hybrid nanostructures have been obtained by treating carbon balls, synthesized in a CVD chamber, with hexachloro- platinum acid in a solution plasma system. The solution plasma was successfully used to remove the template remained after the mesoporous silica synthesis. Surface functionalization of the carbon structures and the silica surface with different chemical groups and nanoparticles, was also performed by processing these materials in the liquid plasma.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.965-972
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• 2010

The objective of this research was to evaluate for the changes of pore structures and adsorption capacities due to the increase the numbers of reactivation. The reactivated GAC had experienced three cycles of water treatment and thermal reactivation. The pore size distributions of virgin and reactivated GACs were very different. The virgin GAC was mostly microporous (< $15\;{\AA}$), with less mesopores ($20{\sim}100\;{\AA}$). The reactivated GACs was mostly mesoporous ($20{\sim}100\;{\AA}$), with less micropores (< $15\;{\AA}$). The specific surface area and total pore volume were reduced as the number of reactivation increased. The maximum adsorption capacity (X/M) of virgin GAC ($964.6\;{\mu}g/g$) for $CHCl_3$ was 2~3 times larger than 1st~3rd reactivated GAC ($255.6{\sim}399.5\;{\mu}g/g$). The maximum adsorption capacity (X/M) of virgin GAC (19.5 mg/g) for DOC (dissolved organic carbon) was equal to that of 1st~3rd reactivated GAC (18.0~18.7 mg/g).

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.332-336
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• 2010

Ionic liquid immobilized on mesoporous amorphous silica was prepared from the coupling of 1-(triethoxysilylpropyl)-3-n-alkyl-imidzolium halides with tetraethyl orthosilicate(TEOS) through template-free condensation under strong acidic conditions. The immobilized 1-n-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium bromide ionic liquid on amorphous silica(BMImBr-AS) was proved to be an effective heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate(DMC) from transesterification of ethylene carbonate(EC) with methanol. High temperature, high carbon dioxide pressure and long reaction time were favorable for the reactivity of BMImBr-AS. Kinetic studies based on two step reactions revealed that the proposed reaction model fitted well the experimental data. The apparent activation energy was estimated to be 67.4 kJ/mol.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.269-275
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• 2021

In this study, ordered mesoporous silica-supported Ni catalysts were prepared for catalytic partial oxidation of methane (CPOM) by using electroless nickel plating method. Unlike conventionally impregnated catalysts, the electrolessly-plated nickel catalyst showed that nickel was highly dispersed and formed stably on silica-supported surface. It was verified by TEM-EDS analysis. During the activity tests, the electrolessly-plated nickel was barely sintered and the amount of carbon deposition was very small. Consequently, the catalyst was far less deactivated, while the sintering was significantly observed in the cases of the catalysts prepared by the conventional impregnation method. Regarding the palladium-promoted catalysts, the reducibility of nickel was increased, and the reaction performances were enhanced in terms of CH4 conversion and H2/CO ratio of produced syngas.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.503-509
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• 2014

The carbon/porous silica composite membrane was fabricated in a simple manner, which could be successfully for the simultaneous separation and production of chiral epoxides and 1,2-diols, based on their differences in hydrophilic/hydrophobic natures. The chiral Co(III)-$BF_3$ salen catalyst adopted in the membrane reactor system has given the very high enantioselectivity and recyclability in hydrolysis of terminal epoxides such as ECH, 1,2-EB, and SO. The optically pure epoxide and the chiral catalyst were collected in the organic phase after hydrolysis reaction. The hydrophilic water-soluble 1,2-diol product hydrolyzed by chiral salen diffused into the aqueous phase through the SBA-16 or NaY/SBA-16 silica composite layer during the reaction. The water acted simultaneously as a reactant and a solvent in the membrane system. One optical isomer was obtained with high purity and yield, and furthermore the catalysts could be recycled without observable loss in their activity in the continuous flow-type membrane reactor.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.357-363
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• 2015

The development of the environment-friendly tire that meets the standard requirements according to tire labeling system can be improved through using highly homogeneous silica immobilized zinc oxide nanoparticles. In this study, a considerable amount of nanoporous silica was essentially added into nano zinc oxide to improve the physiochemical properties of the formed composite. The introduction of nanoporous silica materials in the composite facilitates the improvement of the wear-resistance and increases the elasticity of the tread. Therefore, the introduction of nanoporous silica can replace carbon black as filler in the formation of composites with desirable properties for conventional green tire. Herein, mesoporous silica immobilized zinc oxide nanoparticle with desirable properties for rubber compounds was investigated. Composites with homogeneous dispersion were obtained in the absence of dispersants. The dispersion stability was controlled through varying the molar ratio, ageing time and mixing order of the reactants. A superior dispersion was achieved in the sample obtained using 0.03 mol of zinc precursor as it had the smallest grain size (50.5 nm) and then immobilized in silica aged for 10 days. Moreover, the specific surface area of this sample was the highest ($649m^2/g$).